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Final statement:

I started off with exploring the different senses when I'm in the rain with my umbrella and camera.

Then I photographed different umbrellas used by other people and I found it interesting that, they are all different in colours and shapes.

So I began to make miniature umbrellas using different methods like hand built, mould in a hollow cup, paper clay and pinch pot.

The developments I made were:

'Seeing things in another perspective'.

People knew that, when the clouds turned grey, it's going to rain and it feels awful to be in the rain but on the other hand, the rain could be colourful (metaphor) for us, they help cleanse the air, help plants grow and you might spot a rainbow sometimes.

So I added that element to my project with photography.

Please see the stop motion I made on my Tumblr, thank you!

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Tuesday 30th April,

Setting up my area for display of the project.

I put plants: leaves, vines, flowers etc I found on the way.

I hope it gives off a feeling of enjoyment in the rain!

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Click on the Youtube links above to view.

I videoed the three different ceramic raindrops and these are the different sounds they make (original/first idea for this project when I started out to make the umbrellas).

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Click on the YouTube link to view 'In the Rain' above.

Some of the ceramics, when seen in a different perspective I think they change what is being seen.

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Week 6 - Narrative of the senses

Monday 29th April,

My ceramics out of the kiln.

I like how they turned out!

I fixed the parts that had been rubbed off with the glaze with acrylic paint.

Also my plan/layout for a stop motion.

My estimate was 48 photos minimum, then I produced 212 photos total (in 3hrs) but the stop motion app won't make it (too many photos) and after many trying it was 130 photos max for my stop motion.

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Friday 26th April,

Glazing my ceramics with transparent glazes and transport them to the kiln.

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Artist Research:

-- Carole Epp (1978 - present)

She is a Canadian ceramic artist living and working in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Her artwork and writing have been published in magazines, websites and books; in 2017 in Ceramics Monthly, she was named the Ceramic Artist of the Year.

"Perhaps sometimes a greater narrative or story is lurking in the images sometimes not."

I like the illustrations on her ceramics, cute, tender and colourful!

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Thursday 25th April,

Finishing underglazing my last ceramics!

Decals demonstration;

Materials:

Decals, white cup, rubber kidney, bowl of clean lukewarm water, knife and tissue.

1. Cut out decals and decide a layout on cup.

2. Wash mug - use soap and dry it with tissue.

3. Make sure bowl of water is room temperature, isn't too cold - crack, isn't too hot - will pull and stretch.

4. Submerge decal into water, it will curl tight, wait until it opens up and see if it peels off.

5. Place on cup and take white paper off and adjust with kidney from the center out to the edge.

6. With tissue dry out decal and leave it 24 hrs to dry before firing.

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Week 5 - Narrative of the senses

Tuesday 23rd April,

At 11am, we went for an introduction for 3D printing.

Notes:

Wasp app - Fullcontrol - for 3d modelling

Printable - stl file.

Blender app - Ceramicist; Jonathan Keep.

Litophane makers - light goes through.

Then I continued with underglazing for the day.

There will be a glaze firing on Friday.

I like that the blown away umbrella also look like a flower when holding it up, I got that idea from my primary source of the purple flower (seeing things in another perspective).

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Friday 19th April,

I glazed my ceramics today for the kiln.

The other ceramics are out of the kiln, going to underglaze them next week.

I found a quote and wrote it on the rainbow umbrella with ceramic pencil - "If you want Rainbow, you have to put up with the Rain"

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Thursday 18th April,

I started underglazing today, firstly I wet the ceramic pieces with water, pick the colours I need, use popsicle stick to scoop underglaze out, then use paint brush to apply them to ceramics.

For me it's relaxing to underglaze and see the ceramics full of colours.

There is an element of rainbow during or just before the rain stops so I added that for the colours of my raindrops.

I changed the colour design a bit as I go for the umbrellas because it feels better to do that.

Hopefully the colours will turn out ok.

Going to do more underglaze tomorrow!

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Artist research:

-- Lena Karpinsky (1961-present)

She is a Canadian-based artist, born in Moscow.

Works primarily with oil and acrylic on canvas.

I like her vibrant and rainbow colours especially in the rain scene, it looks busy but beautiful.

-- Bobby Silverman (1956 - present)

He is an American visual artist and designer who works mainly with ceramics.

Known for his contemporary design in ceramics.

The dripping down of colours is like the rain and I like that the different colours blend well together.

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Tuesday 16th April,

I made clouds today: one will be the white fluffy clouds and the other one will be the grey rainy clouds.

I smoothed the white clouds' edges more to make it look softer than the grey clouds.

I could put cottons on the white clouds after they've been bisque fired.

All the other pieces I've made so far will be put into bisque firing in the kiln today.

Preparing to do underglazing on Thursday and my plan on colours above.

Near the end, I learned a new technique called textured form.

1. Make a square with a block of clay (smash clay onto board).

2. Add texture on surface of clay using textured materials.

3. Scoop out the interior of clay.

4. Pinch clay outward to became more circular on the outside (the textures will be squished and look different).

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Week 4 - Narrative of the senses

Monday 15th April,

Final few things to make before underglazing.

The photos above was how I made the broken umbrella, blown away umbrella and folded umbrellas.

My previous ceramics were out of the kiln, I'm glad they didn't crack but the girl's pathway is not very flat /a bit wobbly.

Decided to use mirror to do reflection of puddles with umbrella on top and raindrop (waterdrop), if i could find one.

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Friday 12th April,

I'm making raindrops of different degree, hopefully they'll make different sounds when dropping onto the umbrella.

Then I've checked my clays before bring them to the kiln (bisque firing).

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Thursday 11th April,

I'll be doing three different types of rain started from gentle drops to raindrops and finally lashing straight line of rain making different sounds onto the umbrella, narrating gradual rainy weather conditions.

I find it easier to make umbrella with pots than hands after my experiment with all the umbrella I've made so far.

The leg was to my expectation that it failed on the first try, literally too light to handle the top part of the body so redo it until I'm able to see the legs/shoes.

So happy it stands at the end!

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Artist research:

-- Sam Spencer is a london-based artist.

The title of this installation is 'Yellow Since 1877' (2007).

The piece was inspired by The House of Veuve Clicquot‘s signature yellow color.

The umbrellas are arranged as flowers on a leafless tree and present a cheerful sight to viewers.

This piece gives constant reminder that beauty can be found in the most unexpected of places.

-- Tanaka Kazuhiko (1953 - present) is a Japanese artist.

For more than forty years, Tanaka has been working as an architect in Tokyo.

The core of his miniature sculptures are to express the beautiful moments in life and to engage us in those experiences.